Published by Peachtree Publishers
Summary: Starting with President John F. Kennedy’s 1961 commitment to put a man on the moon before the end of the decade, and ending with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s historic 1969 walk on the moon, this free-verse history covers the history of the Apollo space missions. The heartbreak of Kennedy’s assassination and the fatal Apollo 1 fire set the stage for the enormous determination that was required to design and build the vehicles that could safely transport astronauts to the moon and back. Each Apollo mission is described, followed by two pages that show photos and give profiles of the astronauts on each one. The large, pastel portraits realistically render the people, places, and technology that were all part of the Apollo program. Includes author’s and illustrator’s notes, additional information about Team Apollo and bringing Apollo 11 home (with photos), and a list of books and websites with additional information. 144 pages; grades 5-8.
Pros: A fascinating look at an exciting and important chapter in the history of space exploration. The free verse format makes for a fairly quick and easy read, but there is still plenty of information packed into the text and back matter. The beautiful oversized illustrations bring immediacy to the story.
Cons: As a big fan of the movie Apollo 13, I was disappointed that the narrative ended with Apollo 11.
